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Topic: Do I really need Torklift Stable Loads
Posted By: bs49 on 03/22/17 03:29pm

I am contemplating purchasing these stable loads for my truck. I have a 2008 Silverado 3500 HD Dually Long Bed. I am carrying a 2015 Palomino HS-2902 with a weight I estimate to be between 3,500 and 4,000 wet and loaded (dry weight according to manufacturer is 3,100). I will be either flat towing a Jeep Wrangler 2 door JK or pulling my aluminum Tracker V16 fishing boat.

I am new to truck campers but do seem to have some top heavy sway when driving past rain gutters or turning. However when I look at my leaf springs the lower leaf is very close to touching and some are actually touching already. When I hitch my boat then I definitely see all lower leaf springs touching.

Do I still need Stable Loads if my lower leaf spring activates already? I do not know how to insert pics to make it more clear. I want peoples input before shelling out another $300. MY suspension is stock right now. Thanks.

Here are what they look like with just the camper
[image]
[image]


and this is after hitching boat
[image]
[image]

* This post was edited 03/22/17 04:01pm by bs49 *

2008 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD Diesel Dually Long Bed
2015 Palomino HS-2902 Truck Camper
2003 Tracker Deep V16 Aluminum Fishing Boat


Posted By: Reddog1 on 03/22/17 05:33pm

I really question any of us can answer your question on this. The reason being that we would have to have the identical truck, TC and spring setup.

I have the Stable Loads. You will have to think about what I am going to post. The Stable Loads allow the upper overloads to come in contact sooner. From my experience, the Stable Loads will reduce the rear squat by the thickness of the Loads. A by product is due to the Loads being in contact, the sway is reduced a little. The primary benefit is the squat is reduced.

Sway is primarily reduced with an anti-sway bar. Do you have one?

Wayne

Posted By: bs49 on 03/22/17 05:54pm

Reddog1 wrote:

I really question any of us can answer your question on this. The reason being that we would have to have the identical truck, TC and spring setup.

I have the Stable Loads. You will have to think about what I am going to post. The Stable Loads allow the upper overloads to come in contact sooner. From my experience, the Stable Loads will reduce the rear squat by the thickness of the Loads. A by product is due to the Loads being in contact, the sway is reduced a little. The primary benefit is the squat is reduced.

Sway is primarily reduced with an anti-sway bar. Do you have one?

Wayne


I think the squat is fine. I do not have a sway bar. I had been looking at the Helwig sway bars but read somewhere that Stable Loads might be enough. Thanks for your response.

Posted By: dakonthemountain on 03/22/17 06:05pm

I have an older dually, but had some of the same issues you mention with my 4,000lb+ Lance 1055. This problem for me was completely solved by addiing air bags, as I didn't want to drill holes in my bump stops for the stable loads I purchased. I sent them back. Some bump stop perches for overloads have holes already in them under the rubber. It was a very expensive fix, but worked perfectly for me.

Best of luck, and I hope you get by MUCH cheaper than I did!


Dak

2018 GMC Denali "Extreme" and 23' EVO 2050T Travel Trailer
Escapee member #224325-Since 1992


Posted By: tattoobob on 03/22/17 06:07pm

By the looks of your springs You can't fit the lower Stable Loads, I would get the upper Stable Loads tho

2005 Ford F350 SRW 4x4

2000 Lance 1010

Posted By: Halmfamily on 03/22/17 06:11pm

I have the Stableloads on my 2008 GMC DRW and it made a significant difference in the handling of the truck when I'm pulling the fifth wheel. The truck squats 1 1/2" less when the Stableloads activated. The biggest difference we feel in the ride is over bridge abutments, there is considerably less bounce and it has taken the jarring feeling out also.

2008 GMC Sierra 3500 SLT DRW D/A 4x4 (Big All)
2006 Ford F350 PSD SRW King Ranch 4x4 (Henry) (Sold)
B&W Companion, 90 Aux Fuel Tank, Scan Gauge II, Curt f/m hitch, Swagman XC
2015 Forest River Sierra 360 PDEK
DW Diane, DS Michael, FB Draco and Sabian

Posted By: deltabravo on 03/22/17 06:13pm

I run lower Stableoads on my 09 3500HD Dually. They do far more to improve the ride and handling than the airbags I intially "wasted" my money on.
I wish I would never have done airbags, and instead, bought Stableloads first

2009 Silverado 3500HD Dually, D/A, CCLB 4x4 (bought new 8/30/09)
2018 Arctic Fox 992 with an Onan 2500i "quiet" model generator

Posted By: bs49 on 03/22/17 06:26pm

tattoobob wrote:

By the looks of your springs You can't fit the lower Stable Loads, I would get the upper Stable Loads tho


This is with the Camper already loaded. I am sure there will be space when unloaded. From the information I am gathering here it seems they will indeed help the ride. I think I will go ahead and pull the trigger. The ones I am looking at require no drilling and can be disconnected.

https://www.etrailer.com/Vehicle-Suspension/Chevrolet/Silverado/2008/TLA7310.html?vehicleid=200825521

Posted By: MORSNOW on 03/22/17 06:43pm

With a GM truck, the lower StableLoads make a great improvement reducing sway and on my setup, reducing rear sag. StableLoads were the single best thing I did on my truck to improve carrying my camper.

2014 Wolf Creek 850SB
2012 GMC Sierra SLT 2500HD

7,220# Truck/10,400# Camper Fully Loaded


Posted By: Buzzcut1 on 03/22/17 07:24pm

with the camper unloaded place a jack on the frame and lift the back of the truck to unload the leafs on one side of the rear axle. This will give you room to easily install the lower stable loads. repeat for the other side. Figure on it taking about an hour

* This post was edited 03/22/17 11:08pm by Buzzcut1 *

2011 F350 6.7L Diesel 4x4 CrewCab longbed Dually, 2019 Lance 1062, Torqlift Talons, Fast Guns, upper and lower Stable Loads, Super Hitch, 48" Super Truss, Airlift loadlifter 5000 extreme airbags


Posted By: Reddog1 on 03/22/17 07:38pm

The Stable Loads are not a replacement for an anti-sway bar. Think about it, why would it be called an anti-sway bar? Is there anything in Stable Load that says Anti-sway? I have both, and I am saying that the Stable Load will help reduce the sway, but the anti-sway bar is designed for that purpose.

Posted By: burningman on 03/22/17 08:16pm

If it's sway and not squat that you're having issues with, you should get a sway bar.
I would use the spring spacer blocks if my truck was always loaded, but since I also drive it without the camper on I don't like anything that makes it stiffer all the time.

Sway bars and air bags for the win, for a dual-purpose truck.

2017 Northern Lite 10-2 EX CD SE
99 Ram 4x4 Dually Cummins
A whole lot more fuel, a whole lot more boost.
4.10 gears, Gear Vendors overdrive, exhaust brake
Built auto, triple disc, billet shafts.
Kelderman Air Ride, Helwig sway bar.


Posted By: tattoobob on 03/22/17 08:30pm

bs49 wrote:

tattoobob wrote:

By the looks of your springs You can't fit the lower Stable Loads, I would get the upper Stable Loads tho


This is with the Camper already loaded. I am sure there will be space when unloaded. From the information I am gathering here it seems they will indeed help the ride. I think I will go ahead and pull the trigger. The ones I am looking at require no drilling and can be disconnected.

https://www.etrailer.com/Vehicle-Suspension/Chevrolet/Silverado/2008/TLA7310.html?vehicleid=200825521


I use both upper and Lower and IMO worth every penny

Posted By: Kayteg1 on 03/22/17 08:34pm

I posted almost identical question a month ago about my new F350 and 5600lb of camper. You can find the topic, but to date I drove it about 600 miles with nothing added to the suspension and once I dump holding tank, it does not need anything.
I bought a bag of hockey pucks to do upper springs and that is the end of my plans.




Posted By: MikeJinCO on 03/22/17 08:38pm

+1 to Reddog. I have a 3500 Dually and I installed the standard Helwig sway bar. It goes on easily and does a great job. The other term for them is anti-roll bar ie body roll. Most trucks come with a front anti-roll bar but without a rear as the heavy motor up front particularly a diesel wants to roll in a turn where the lighter/unloaded back end doesn't. So add a camper and the weight distribution is reversed, lighter front than rear and guess which wants to roll more.

For us the rear sway/anti-roll bar should be at least as large in diameter as the front it not a little larger. Keep in mind that the stiffness of it is in proportion to the 4th power of the diameter so a little goes a long way. One to the fourth is 1 where 1.25 to the fourth is 2.44 so it is almost 2.5 times as resistant roll. There is lots of other engineering involved, but it takes full books to explain it all, talk to Helwig.

Posted By: mike/kellie on 03/22/17 08:49pm

Same truck but 1 ton heavier camper. Lower only with Hellwig rear anti sway. Works great.

2015 Host Mammoth triple slide w/ TorkLift Fastguns
2015 Ram 5500 SLT cab & chassis with Douglass 9' utility body

Posted By: bs49 on 03/22/17 10:50pm

Thanks for all your responses. All these upgrades are pricey. I think I will start with the Stable Loads since it is the simplest to install. If I still have issues then I will pickup a sway bar. I would like to stay away from air bags. I thought getting a smaller 9 ft camper would save me the added expense of suspension upgrades.

Posted By: Troutguy on 03/23/17 05:46am

I have Stableloads on my signature truck....they help. However my truck isn't a dually. I would recommend the largest Helwig rear stabilizer bar that you can get.
Stableloads are around $250-300 bucks and a sway bar is a little more and will provide better sway control IMO. You also have to realize that loaded truck camper rigs sway more than an unloaded truck.....it won't handle like a Corvette......you need to get used to this. We've all experienced those "pucker " moments getting used to a new TC rig.

TG

2018 RAM 3500 Crew Cab 4x4 DRW Cummins HO, Aisin trans and 4:10 gears, 14,000 lb GVWR
2018 Arctic Fox 1140 Truck Camper & Honda EU2000

Posted By: sonuvabug on 03/23/17 07:59am

bs49 wrote:

Thanks for all your responses. All these upgrades are pricey. I think I will start with the Stable Loads since it is the simplest to install. If I still have issues then I will pickup a sway bar. I would like to stay away from air bags. I thought getting a smaller 9 ft camper would save me the added expense of suspension upgrades.


IMO you're going about addressing your sway problem in reverse. For sway control, front and rear (first) anti-sway bars are the solution (Hellwig is a fine choice). If the anti-sway bars work, problem resolved.

If you want more more stability, less squat, increased load capacity (actual but not a legal increase) etc, then you move to phase 2 solutions. These include things like Stable Loads, Sumo Springs (I'm a big fan), larger bump/jounce stops, additional overload/supplemental springs, air bags (not a fan) etc.

And yes, all modifications cost money but these are minor compared to the investment you've already made in your set-up and in the end, are worth every penny for the decreased stress/dissatisfaction factors and increased driveability of your set-up.

* This post was edited 03/23/17 01:56pm by sonuvabug *

2007 Adventurer 90fws Truck Camper
2001 FORD F250 SuperCab; 8' box; 4x4, 7.3l diesel, rear Sumo Springs

Posted By: cewillis on 03/23/17 09:03am

bs49 wrote:

Thanks for all your responses. All these upgrades are pricey. I think I will start with the Stable Loads since it is the simplest to install. If I still have issues then I will pickup a sway bar. I would like to stay away from air bags. I thought getting a smaller 9 ft camper would save me the added expense of suspension upgrades.

That's good thinking on all three counts - 1)stable loads, 2) sway bar if needed, 3) stay away from air bags.
As you see, you'll get every possible opinion -- some diametrically opposite.

Cal


Posted By: Fisher Bill on 03/23/17 09:26am

I have the 2006 Dually and before that it was a 2005 GMC DRW and I put stable loads on the lower overload springs, they come with 3-4 plates I think, each a quarter inch thick and all you need to do is pop the plug/pad and install.

I was only able to get one plate between my lowers but it did help on those older coastal roads, the AC is slide side heavy so going around corners and especially rolling dips and bumps, it help with the porpoising front to back.

The newer truck came with airbags and I run the slide side at 60# and the driver side at 40# and it gives good feedback on the road.

For me the stable loads made a lot of difference on a stock set up and I use both loads and bags, YRMV.

Bill

2006 Chevy 3500 Dually 6.6 Duramax Diesel & Allison Transmission
2010 Northshore 28RK by Dutchmen
Our first fifth wheel!!!


Posted By: HMS Beagle on 03/23/17 10:07am

Blocking the overload spring will bring it into contact earlier and keep it in contact for more of the suspension travel. That increases the spring rate. Anything that increases the spring rate will increase roll stiffness. The overload is pretty wimpy though, adding around 400 lb/in of spring rate. A big anti-sway bar will do a lot more.

I wish I had invented the Stable Load. $5 of steel plate sold for $300. A license to print money.

Bigfoot 10.4E, 2015 F350 6.7L DRW 2WD, Autoflex Ultra Air Ride rear suspension, Hellwig Bigwig sway bars front and rear

Posted By: Reddog1 on 03/23/17 10:25am

HMS Beagle wrote:

I wish I had invented the Stable Load. $5 of steel plate sold for $300. A license to print money.
The Stable Loads were on my truck when I bought it. All I see is Bumpstops.

Posted By: Ranger Tim on 03/23/17 09:03pm

The lower stableloads do a lot to improve the handling of my truck (SRW F350) and are easy to swing into place or out of use. The uppers only make contact when the camper is loaded so I leave them on all the time. I have not felt any need to do anything else to the suspension. The truck came with the factory package rear sway bar.

The lower Stableloads are difficult to install without help and the drill kit from Torklift is essential if you must drill holes. It takes three minutes per hole with the kit and forever without. They send nice bits with the kits. Make sure you have a decent jack before getting started. Getting it all to line up and into position is the toughest part -- that's when a helper comes in handy. I also used a long pry bar to get the bolts into the holes.

Ranger Tim
2006 F-350 Super Crew King Ranch SRW Bulletproofed
2016 Wolf Creek 840
Upper and Lower StableLoads

Posted By: Moose10 on 03/24/17 11:50am

I made my own for the overloads using some 2" square box tube. Drilled a single hole through both ends of the spring and bolted those pieces on. Used hockey pucks on the bottom which have held up surprisingly well over the last 4 years. I think I went through about 6 drill bits trying to get through the springs, but overall total cost was less that $50.

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/Xcq7OMpl.jpg "border=0"" border="0" alt="[image]"> [image]Click For Full-Size Image.[/img]

2001.5 Ram 3500 4x4 QC Sport ETH/DEE
on Vision Hauler 19.5's
'06 Arctic Fox 1150
'09 Nissan Murano S
'14 Ford F-150 FX4
'03 Polaris 700RMK VE, MBRP can
'04 Polaris 600RMK VE
'04 & '05 Suzuki Eiger 400's


Posted By: Moose10 on 03/24/17 12:12pm

It sits well even with the 24' trailer in tow.

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/lpyzwjcl.jpg "border=0"" border="0" alt="[image]"> [image]Click For Full-Size Image.[/img]

Posted By: Tom_Anderson on 03/25/17 02:46pm

I replaced my overload springs with ones from an F-450 cab and chassis. They not only have more arch so they make contact sooner, but they also have a higher spring rate than the stock F-250 ones, so they make a bigger difference when they do engage. They cost me less than $40 apiece, brand new, and took about two hours to install. Between that and my Big Wig sway bar, excessive squat and roll are just a memory.

Posted By: Grit dog on 03/25/17 04:34pm

Your truck is easy to put lowers in because there's a hole in the leaf.
If you do that though, the upper overloads may not even engage. Then you're just leaving some spring capacity on the table.
If you're happy with the ride height, get a sway bar , imo. Sway bar will help more with the top heavy rocking than blocking the springs.
You can try some simple lower blocks, or even make permanent ones easily for cheap.
My material of choice is plastic felling wedges. Drill a hole in each one. Countersink a bolt into it and bolt them in.

2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

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